Day: April 22, 2012

By Amar Yumnam
I was in Thoubal on Sunday. This was my visit to the side after about a gap of one year. I must say I enjoyed it to the full. The economist in me was fully aroused. I was further impressed by the scale of the transformation given the unfolding scenario in connection with relations extending beyond the boundaries and to South East Asia.  

Instrumental Value: The recent visit has established to myself how a political leader can play the role of an instrumental value to bring about visible and encompassing transformations to the region he fundamentally belongs. Thoubal today is very different from what it was less than a decade ago in so far modernising forces are concerned. The feeling is palpable and salient. Ibobi has given the scope and atmosphere to reconstruct and regenerate the community to the people of Thoubal. It remains to be seen yet how the means is converted into consequences of sustained transformation of the life process by the people of Thoubal.

Remaining Challenge: Chaoyaima of the 1950s was a wonderful instrumental value of the region in social sector. Ibobi is a phenomenon after him and with a larger canvass extending to economic dimensions. But the real challenge for him is starting only now. We now know the height of him as an instrumental value for the transformation till date happening in the area which he represents in the democratic decision making process of the land.  

I can think of two major challenges. One, there is a big task of transforming his instrumental value for his constituency into an ethical force for the State. Second, there is the urgency of addressing the technological issues involved for sustaining the transformation Ibobi has put in place. I would explain what I mean by these.

The ethical dimension involved is of two types. First, there is the fundamental need for a large intervention for widening and deepening the idea and knowledge base of Thoubal in order to ensure the continuance of transformations and make the region as competitive to the rest of Manipur as it is today. The changes today are confined mostly to the material aspects of life, and there is imperative for strengthening the idea and knowledge base sooner than later. This is particularly so because Thoubal is situated on the highway linking to South East Asia. Taking proper advantage of this demands addressing the knowledge side. Further, Ibobi is just not a representative of Thoubal, but the head of the people of Manipur as well. So far his projects outside his home constituency have not caused the kind of appreciation and admiration he enjoys in Thoubal. Two orientations I would certainly emphasise. The transformations need to be expanded much beyond Thoubal and onto the entire stretch of the highway to Moreh. This
would ensure the deepening of the changes in Thoubal and transformation more robust. It would certainly serve a very ethical purpose of admiration for Ibobi spreading at least to the entire stretch and make his leadership positively felt in the mountains of Manipur. By the way, Thoubal is very close to the southern Ukhrul as well, and the image of transformation should extend there as well. The implications of addressing the ethical dimensions at the Thoubal and the State-wide levels are huge for the polity of Manipur.

Talking about the ethical dimension is incomplete if we do not address the technological aspect as well. Here, Thoubal has an initial advantage now. I had mentioned the ethical dimension of addressing the knowledge and idea aspects above in order for the dream of Thoubal Ibobi has to be fulfilled. There is now the need for looking into the capability of people in the area about their capacity to learn new technology and create new technology. Here Thoubal now has an atmosphere of material capability. The location of the area close to the Manipur University should be appropriately taken advantage of by interfacing on these issues.

Here again I would like to raise the ethical dimension again. As of now, Ibobi is a very successful political leader. But I would certainly like to see him emerging as the moral leader as well. With his strong political power, there must also be there strong resistance to his emergence as the ultimate. This is exactly where he should try to score by taking the people along with ethical interventions on the development front. He should now concentrate on making the people of the State feel that any project anywhere in Manipur has the same value as any in Thoubal. He might be meaning it, but the people of the State do not feel it yet.

Here, I would like to repeat what I have been emphasising for long. We like and need to feel the emergence of a genuine development policy for addressing the absolute and relative backwardness of the mountain areas of Manipur. Given the unfolding Asian century, we cannot afford further delay in this connection. Address the primary needs of development of the mountains of Manipur and the technological issues of the valley, then we would have an ethical dimension added to the leadership of Ibobi. If it becomes so, he would not just be instrumental value of Thoubal alone but would be of Manipur as a whole. This progression would certainly provide him a bigger space in the pages of history of the land.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/a-visit-to-thoubal-ibobi-as-instrumental-value/

By Rs Jassal
1.    It is a matter of great pride and privilege for any Unit to observe and celebrate its Raising day – especially so when it is a Silver Jubilee. 30th Battalion The Assam Rifles raised on 02 Apr 1987 at Charduar (Assam) have served illustriously in the valley of Manipur with three full eventful tenures during 1997-2005, 2009-2011 and as on today at Mantripukhri. Prior to re-induction to Manipur the Unit occupied posts at the snow capped high altitude mountains of North Sikkim before moving to the Tribal belt of Nagaland. To retrospect the Unit activities, it has created appreciable milestones across the varied segments of the North East appropriately matching to its fascinating logo “The Rising Sun Battalion”, so enviously earned because of its Long Range Patrols at high altitudes, Quick Reaction Teams in counter-insurgency role or reaching to the people in aid during floods or firefighting on occurrence.

2.    The Unit continued to evolve itself from 1987 in creating peace environments in the North-Eastern areas of India in the face of growing threat to peaceful and smooth functioning of civil administration created by the militant activities. For the maintenance of law and order, countering insurgency and reassuring the people of the North East region the Unit equitted itself very well to the expectations of higher authorities under changed Operational Doctrines. The Unit reached the people through Military Civic Action programmes and acquired a healthy relationship with the people. The Unit also conducted surgical operations and rooted out the direct threat of UGs to the functioning of the Government and assisted in smooth living of the people.

3.    To reminisce a great event it was this Unit who recovered the remnants of Mitchell Bomber which had crashed while Gen Orde Wingate onboard fatal flight back from Chindit bases in Burma on 24 March 1944 during the Second World War. The relentless search with three days of foot slogging resulted in the recovery of the aircraft’s engine and gun from the crash site near Thilon Village, Tamenglong on 30 May 1989. It is presently adorning the ramparts of the Office Complex of Director General Assam Rifles, Shillong, at Happy Valley.

4.    During its tenure in Kangla the Unit was put to face various odds against the natural disaster caused by a devastating flood which filled the Imphal valley and Kangla too with high levels of water to its Northern gates in Aug 1990 to the extent that the DIG Bungalow holding DIG and his family had to be evacuated through a boat to a safer place.  The Unit’s evacuation team remained engaged day and night in plugging the breaches on Imphal River and extended helping hand to the denizens of Imphal Valley during the flood. Numerous rescue operations were carried out followed by the rehabilitation of those affected by it. This act of selflessness beyond the call of duty was highly applauded by the media and the locals.

5.     Due to its continuous, dedication, sincere and intense operations against the UGs, Unit Citation by GOC-in-C, Eastern Command was bestowed on the Unit on 15 Jan 1997. The Unit also did exceptionally well in suppressing the insurgency and assisting the Election Commission and the State Government Officials in conducting free and fair Assembly Elections of 2012 in Manipur.

6.    The Unit also performed tough tasks in Border Guarding role, carried out numerous rescue missions and braved the extreme hostile climatic conditions faced by the troops on duty. On de-induction to Mokokchung (Nagaland) the Unit adapted rapidly to the evolving scenario of Naga Insurgency especially the Naga UGs (IM&K) at conflict. During this tenure, the Unit ensured the effective enforcement of Ceasefire ground rules with the highly pro-active and sensitive NSCN (IM & K) and smooth cum incident free conduct of Assembly Elections in Nagaland.

7.    The Unit then made its second coming at Thinghat (Churachandpur), Manipur. During this tenure the Unit steer geared various initiatives by employing a number of developmental activities in the region as they have worked to bring law and order to manageable control in far flung areas. The Unit destroyed scores of acres of illegal poppy cultivation and urged the State to provide alternative source of income to the locals as well as illegal extraction of timber was also blocked. Under the Humanitarian activities, provisioning of medical assistance and infrastructure for basic education to reconstruct dilapidated classrooms were undertaken.

8.    With presently location at Mantripukhri, the Unit has carved a niche for itself by implementing various developmental projects in the Imphal Valley region including  confidence arousing educational tours to heart land  cities of India and achieved the goodwill of the locals by carrying out numerous recruitment drives and instilled among the locals a sense of comfort and peace.

9.    The Rising Sun Battalion thus celebrated its Silver Jubilee from 01 Apr to 03 Apr 2012 in a style pompous though humble at Mantripukhri, with events spanned over for four days consisting of various events such as Meena Bazaar, Special Family Welfare Meet, Barakhana, Flag Hoisting, Special Sainik Sammelan and Dinner with the Assam Rifles fraternity, the Government dignitaries and prominent civilians from various walks of life on invitation. HQ IGAR (South) is in the static location at Mantripukhri, where as the Assam Rifles units keep on changing guard at fixed tenures. In this way each Battalion keeps on adding memorable milestones and today unit area is having most lovely  fascinating  Golf Course, Railway Reservation Counter,  SBI Banking  facilities  with ATM.  Above all beautiful unit garden capacitated  to grow  fruits like Bananas, Guava, Lemons etc and each barrack given responsibility to grow seasonal vegetables. While inheriting good assets  there may be new chal
lenges  too for the new incumbent Col Vedpal Yadav, SM as to work for add ones as it is  said sky is the limit for any success story and the regimental story being always a continuous one. Col Atul Kumar having rendered three years high proactive services as CO bid adieu Apr 19.

10.    Throughout its journey of 25 glorious years wherever the Unit went, it always left behind a legacy of dedication, bravery and courage and in turn picked up accolades in the form of honours and awards and goodwill of people with whom they are serving.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/30th-battalion-the-assam-rifles-rising-sun-battalion/